NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The Genome Institute of Singapore today announced an agreement with Oxford Biodynamics to identify epigenetic signatures in stem cells.
The collaboration leverages OBD's EpiSwitch biomarker discovery platform, which allows researchers to discover and monitor highly specific epigenetic biomarkers called chromosome conformation signatures. These biomarkers define and control important elements of epigenetic and gene regulation.
UK-based OBD said on its website that EpiSwitch uses a machine-learning algorithm to identify DNA patterns "that are likely to form higher order structures. The algorithm tracks implicit information embedded in the genome that probably signifies the borders of transcription units."
GIS added that EpiSwitch can differentiate or confirm the epigenetic footprint of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSC), embryonic stem cells, or progenitor cells from representative cell lines. In the first application of the platform under today's deal, EpiSwitch biomarkers "will provide a quick and efficient tool to monitor the quality and safety of IPSCs," said GIS, an institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.